My Fair Princess
by Alexia Goddess
Summary: Relena is a street flower girl, scraping to live day to day, dealing with the scorn that was showered upon her kind by the upper class people, until one night a single, random act of kindness opened up an opportunity to fight for equality for all. *FIN*
1. Prologue

**_~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
_**  
  
  
_by Alexia Goddess_  
  
  
  
**Prologue**  
  
  
  
The night was cold, rainy, dreary, and utterly distasteful for everyone  
except those clad in glittering jewels and warm mink coats over satin  
and silk suits or gowns. Those wearing such things were quickly  
ushered, under umbrellas to shed the rain, to buggies or shiny  
automobiles, or even gilded carriages, where they were borne away to  
warmth and comfort and satin nightgowns and chocolates and a warm  
dinner of roasted ham and glazed cherry tarts.  
  
For those whom had no such luxuries, however, the stormy winter evening  
on the streets of London were miserable indeed. Boys drenched in rain-  
water shivered uncontrollably under the eaves of the back entrance of  
the grand theatre, where the upper class folk were pouring out of.  
Women, men, and children alike rushed to cover up their wares to save  
them from harm till the rain had passed. Street vendors closed up and  
moved their stalls under shelter, street urchins and guttersnipes and  
prostitutes huddled wherever they could.  
  
Street flower girls hurried to cover baskets of flowers, potted and  
unpotted, least they be drowned or ruined. One such girl, with lovely  
azure eyes, visible even under the thick dirt and grime that covered  
her from head to foot, paused in her mad dash to help a fellow flower  
girl up. The flower girl, younger than her, smiled her thanks, and both  
moved to finish the task of protecting the many blooms.  
  
When all that could be saved as so, the azure eyed girl, basket full  
of wrapped and bundled flowers on her arm, hat sopping and drooping,  
walked quickly towards the shelter of the high, pillar-supported roof  
of the theatre exit, where first class folk were still pouring out.  
  
She stood, rubbing her hands and shivering while leaning against a  
pillar, and watched the woman and men in their finery, laugh despite  
the rain. Of course they laughed. If their fine garments got soaked,  
there was always a warm fire and hot chocolate and a seamstress to  
replace the ruined clothing when they got home. Nothing for them to  
worry about. Catch a cold? Call for the finest doctor. Get hungry? Stop  
at the fanciest restaurant on the way home.  
  
The young woman, out of habit, lifting a small mini bouquet of red wild  
roses and white lilacs towards an elderly noble lady that stepped close  
to her.  
  
"Buy aye flow'r from aye 'umble flow'r gurl, foine missus?" Despite her  
heavy street accent, her voice was sweet, and instead of sneering at  
her, the elderly woman only threw her a glance and stepped away. The  
azure eyed woman sighed and retracted her slightly outstretched arm.  
  
It was always the same. The only ones who ever bothered to even look at  
her kind enough to even consider buying a few small, broken flowers  
from a poorly speaking, filthy, unwashed guttersnipe flower girl were  
middle class people, or perhaps some very lucky lower class folk. But  
upper class? Nah. What do they care for some tiny blossom? They only  
need pick up one of them telly phones and have a whole bloomin' bunch  
of 'em delivered fresh to their doorstep, with bows and ribbons, too.  
  
"Say there, miss," A young man stepped forward. His hand was curled  
around a small something slightly. She looked at him, slight hope in  
her bright eyes. Perhaps she would be able to afford a bit of bread for  
dinner, afterall.  
  
Immediately she held out her best mini bouquet.  
  
"Fancy aye noice flow'r, good soire?" She asked, managing to keep her  
tone humble. The young man was no older than her, but dressed in a  
trimly cut suit with a brisk top hat and thick wool cloak, and a  
blooming white rose in his coat pocket.  
  
"Yes, please," He said, his voice and language perfect British. He  
dropped a few pennies into her palm, careful not to actually touch her.  
Then he walked away, without so much as a thank you. The woman didn't  
expect any; it was always the same. He had only said please, most  
likely, out of habit. She looked at her palm. Still, money was money.  
  
She bit her lip and looked towards where a vendor had moved his stall  
under the protection of the theatre exit roof. The aroma of sweet bread  
and coffee drifted to her temptingly. She pocketed her few pennies,  
along with the other three or four, and made her way over to the stall.  
  
When she was just about there, however, and about to get in line, she  
spotted something that made her freeze. Curled up into tight and small  
as possible was the shivering, huddling, unmistakable form of a child.  
Faintly, the woman could hear little sobs. She left her place in line  
at the stall and moved towards the child. She crouched before the poor  
thing, and gentle touched its shoulder.  
  
The child whipped is head up and bit its lip against a scream of  
fright.  
  
"Don-don' 'urt me, miss," The child, a little girl no more than seven,  
sniffed, tears running down her face.  
  
"Oh, child," the woman's heart was filled with pity and compassion. "I  
won' lay aye fing'r on yee if ya don' wan' me to. What are yee cryin'  
for?" The little girl sniffed.  
  
"Cuz me momma gone dead and me fath'r disopeered, and I gots no'here to  
go." The girl sobbed. "And I ben cold an' 'ungry..."  
  
The woman ran a hand over the girl's dirty, uncovered hair. Making a  
split second choice, she took off her coat and wrapped it around the  
child, the stood, after laying a tender kiss on the little girl's  
cheek, and went towards the vendor stall. There she purchased as much  
sweet bread as she could and a steaming cup of hot chocolate.  
  
She made her way back to the little girl and handed the child the two  
largest loaves, and the cup. She tore the small loaf in half, kept one  
half for herself, and handed still the bigger half to the little girl  
as well. The child's eyes were wide, she opened her mouth to protest,  
but a look from the woman and her own stomach's fierce yowls stopped  
her, and she bit into the bread ferociously.  
  
"What be yer name?" The woman asked. The girl swallowed.  
  
"Marie." She said. The woman smiled.  
  
"My, that be a lov'ly name."  
  
"'ank yee," The girl thanked her through a mouthful of bread. "Wha'  
yur name?"  
  
"Mine?" The woman asked. The girl nodded. The young woman smiled.  
"Relena," She said. "My name be Relena."  
  
"Thats o perty name, miss," Marie said shyly. Relena laughed and hugged  
her.  
  
"Thank yee, Marie, thank yee."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The man, standing in the shadows, smiled. Yes, this particular  
guttersnipe would do nicely for the Professor's wager. Very nicely,  
indeed.  
  
The man replaced his top hat on his head, and dashed to the sidewalk,  
hailing a cab.  
  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
  
Short, I know, but its a prologue. Anyone guessed what this is from, yet? I was watching 'My Fair Lady' a few days ago, and this has just been nagging at me. At first I intended it to be Sailor Moon, but I've done so many Sailor Moon fanfics (not on fanfiction.net) that I knew I wouldn't finish the thing, so Gundam Wing was the next best.  
  
Any suggestions as for casting for the professor and colonel Pickering  
and Freddie and such??? HELP!  
  
Anyhoo, hoped you enjoyed. This is rather a test, really, to see if  
there is an audience for this. If I get enough positive reviews, then  
I will continue, if not...*shrugs*  
  
Ja ne!  
  
  
-Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
**_*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY*_**


	2. Chapter One

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter One  
  
  
  
  
"There, thats be 'er, good soir," A street sweeper boy pointed to a  
young, slender woman asking every pedistrian if they liked lilacs and  
baby's breath. Presently, a young, second class man bought a small  
bundle from her and gave it to his wife. The woman thanked them warmly,  
and proceeded to display her 'wares.'  
  
"Yes, that does look like her," Murmured the gentleman, whom had asked  
about a street flower girl named Relena. He patted the boy on the head  
and handed him a few pennies. He then walked away, clad in a trim brown  
suit and hat. As the boy scampered off, the gentleman signaled someone  
out of the shadows. An 'odd' looking young man with a tight black   
ponytail and slanted black eyes stepped out into view. He was  
comfortably dressed, though the clothing was quite obviously well made.  
  
"Thats her," The first gentleman said without emotion. The casually  
dressed youth nodded.  
  
"She'll be good." He ackowledged. "Which one of us is going to go give  
the 'invitation?'" The black eyed man inquired of the first gentleman.  
The first gentleman, with emerald green eyes, glanced to where a  
shiny new automobile was just rounding the corner, a smiling, brown  
haired, violet eyed man sitting behind the wheel. The automobile pulled  
to a stop beside the gentleman and the casually dressed man. The young  
man behind the wheel grinned widely at them.  
  
"Hey, Trowa, Wu-man!" The boy crowed. "Sorry I'm late, but there was  
this super good-looking girl that was totally digging me, and I just  
had to stop and say hi." Both men only glared at the boy, who grinned  
sheepishly.  
  
"So," The boy went on. "Have you found a girl dirty and disgusting  
enough for Hee-ma- er, I mean, the Professor?"  
  
"Over there," The one whom had been called 'Wu-man,' waved over to  
where that same azhure eyed young woman was selling more flowers. He  
then whacked the boy upside the head -as he had gotten out of the car  
and was now within reach.  
  
"Hey!" The boy protested. Now that he was standing, you could see that  
going down the back of the finely made black outting suit, he had a  
long brown braid. "What was that for?" He snapped.  
  
"Do. Not. Call. Me. Wu-man." The black haired boy snarled, pronouncing  
each word.   
  
The boy only grumbled to hide a snicker. "Yeah yeah, yeah...Wu-man."  
The black eyed man snarled.  
  
"Duo, Wufei, enough," Trowa snapped. Both young men turned away from  
each other, scowling.  
  
"Duo," Trowa demanded, his voice low. He handed Duo a white envelope.  
"You are to give this to that woman, miss Relena." He again pointed  
to the girl now sitting down and apparently counting her profits so  
far that day.  
  
"Huh? *Me?* Bu-bu..." Duo tried to protest, but gave up when Trowa and  
Wufei gave him equally abashing looks. Grumbling, Duo reached into the  
car and retrieved is jacket and hat. Putting on both with a reluctant  
air, he strode across the street, heading directly for the golden  
haired maid.  
  
"Pardon me, miss," Duo put on a cheery mask, hiding his disgust at  
having to deal with a lower class, and at the same time feeling guilty  
for feeling so. Guilty and disgusted, that is, until she looked up and  
he saw her eyes. His own eyes widened in surprise. Those were *not* the  
eyes of a girl born and bred for the street, with a twinkle of  
tolerent humor and a speck of bitterness. No, these eyes were bright,  
sparkling, calm and collected and calculating. Wary and welcoming all  
at once.  
  
*Who *is* she?* Duo found himself asking himself mentally. He managed  
to recover his senses quickly, and smiled charmingly at the woman as  
he whipped of his hand and bent over in an elaborate bow.  
  
"Y-yes?" The woman asked slowly, her tone wary but humble. Duo stood,  
smiling. Man, Trowa sure had known what he was doing!  
  
"Might I inquire as to if you are Miss Relena Dorlayn of London Square  
Shire?" Duo wiggled his ears, contradicting his serious and mannerly  
tone and making him seem rather comical. Relena stiffled a small laugh,  
smiling openly now.  
  
"Why, yes," She said, pronouncing her words carefully. "I be- er, I am  
her, or, she." She stumbled for the correct wording. Again, Duo  
grinned. Heero would have no trouble winning the bet with this girl,  
oh, no.  
  
Duo whipped out the crisp white envelope from underneath his jacket,  
and handed it to her with a smile. Relena blinked her large, azhure  
eyes in surprise as she took it gingerly.  
  
"You, Miss Dorayn, are humbly invited to have tea with Sir Lord  
Professor Yuy the second, promptly at three this afternoon. Dress in  
your best, and don't forget to wash your hands and face!" Relena looked  
up from the card, indignent, to see that the young man had called that  
last over his shoulder as he walked away. She frowned, but turned  
back to the sharp white card she had extracted from the envelope.  
FLipping it open, it said almost exactly what the gentleman had said,  
minus the washing part.  
  
There, was more however, but Relena's eyes caught on the bottome of the  
card, and Relena gasped. The place wasn't even in London! How could it  
be? That kingdom was only a myth to street children...could it be real?  
  
Relena's eyes hardened.   
  
A joke.  
  
It had to be...  
  
A very cruel joke, she decided, her anger seething. Still...part of her  
mind wondered if perhaps...  
  
Shaking her head, Relena resumed reading the paragraph she had skipped  
when she had seen the address. Der eyes widened and she gasped slightly  
in surprise again. They were directions to the train station; She was  
to await a man by the name of Quatre Winner-  
  
"Odd name," The girl murmured, but continued to read. She would then be  
taken to this kingdom that was only in stories, as far as she was  
concerned, where this Mr. Quatre would escort her to the...Sanq Palace?  
  
Again, Relena shook her head. This was all just too odd.  
  
Nevertheless, hadn't she been complaining to herself just this morning  
what a bore her life was? Why didn't she just go? She'd bring as many  
flower bundles as she could and sell them at the station or wherever  
she was to be dropped off if it was a joke. Them places she was gonna  
end up couldn't be any worse than the place she was now, could it?  
  
Relena refused to answer that last question, and stood and made her way  
home, attempting to -of course- sell a few flowers on her way.  
  
  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
  
  
"The'e, that oug't to do it," Relena said to herself in satisfaction.  
She had cleaned her apartment real well, packed her second best dress  
-she was wearing her first best- her two work dresses, a hat, her  
spools of passable ribbon for her bouquets and a few other nicknacks  
she considered valuable, to her at least.  
  
It all fit in a small satchel, which she set down by the door as she  
tied her drooping hat on tightly, grabbed her gnarled umbrella, then  
picked up her satchel and handbag and exited the apartment, locking it  
behind her.  
  
As she left the rundown, read-to-fall-over-or-at-least-burn-to-ashes-in  
-an-instant apartment building, Relena took in a deep breath, feeling  
rather adventurous, and set off down the road towards the train station.  
She soon came across a wagon carrying crates of chickens, and the   
wagon driver let her sit up front with him in exchange for two flower  
bundles from her basket that she had over her arm for his wife and  
daughter.  
  
Thus, Relena the street flower girl arrived at the hosh-posh train  
depot smelling not only like the sewers, but like chickens as well,  
sweaty with the heat of the road, and bruised and sore from the long,  
bumpy three hour journey.  
  
She ignored -or tried to ignore- the disdainful looks and sneers and  
snickers that even the poorer folk of the better section of the  
downtown London city made quite obvious as she passed, making a show  
of stepping well out of her way and holding their noses at her stink.  
So you can imagine their surprise when a young, handsome young man  
dressed well enough to be a noble approached her and touched her elbow.  
  
Relena whirled, her hand ready to make a fist which was was willing to  
use if need be, then stopped in shock.  
  
"Pardon me, miss, but might you be the young Miss Relena Dorlayn?" The  
blonde haired, blue eyed young man asked politely after tipping his hat  
courteously. Relena was at a loss for words. Not only was this  
extremely fine young man talking to her, without any apparent disgust  
or hestitency to be around her, but she recognized him! It was the  
same man whom had bought a flower bundle from her the night before last,  
allowing her to have enough to buy some bread for that starving little  
girl!  
  
"Uh, er, I um....good lor', good soir, why, I be sh, er, her, um..."  
She took a deep breath. "My name is Relena Dorlayn," She confirmed,  
pronouncing her words slowly and careful and with effort, and produced  
the letter from her handbag and handed it to him. The man smiled kindly  
and with encouragement after he skimmed the letter.  
  
"Well, then, miss, I am Quatre Winner." He introduced himself with a  
slight bow, and Relena shyly attempted a slightly curtsey. The man's  
grin widened at seeing this, and offered her arm. Again, Relena only  
stood in shock for a moment, before quickly taking it, aleit in the  
wrong way, but she managed.  
  
"Shall we?" He asked, and Relena nodded, caution in her eyes as the  
man led her to the train, and they boarded.  
  
Still in a daze, Relena sat in the seat Quatre motioned to. Then, as she  
glanced out the window as the train began moving, she realized that  
she had just taken the steps to change her life in an unbelievably  
drastic way...  
  
But would it be good or bad?  
  
  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
  
Well, here's the second chapter, finally. I know it took long, but  
please do be patient, as this fic isn't very high on my list of things  
to do, if you get my meaning.  
  
Until next time, minna-chans! Ja ne!  
  
  
  
-Alexia Goddess  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	3. Chapter Two

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Two  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Blimey..." All Relena could do was gape and occassionally utter a word  
of extreme exclamation or surprise or, more often, awe. Quatre, whom  
she referred to as Colonel Winner, despite his urgings to call him  
by his name, chuckled in amusement as he led the girl down the gilded   
corridors of the Sanq Palace, towards the north-east wing tower, which  
was occupied solely by the man who was requesting Relena's prescence;  
Sir Lord Proffessor Yuy. Or, as Duo referred to him as, 'Hee-man.'  
  
"This way," He held a door open for her, and Relena cautiously peeked  
inside. Her eyes widened in shock, and she backed away.  
  
"Aye caun't go in there, Cap'n!" She said fiercely.  
  
"For goodness sake, why not?"  
  
"I'll get everythin' dirty, I will!" Quatre merely chuckled, and Relena  
hid her hurt pride. She was trying to be polite in the house of a  
noble.  
  
"Trust me, my dear miss Dorlayn, that is part of the very reason you  
are here in the first place," He assured her, and took her elbow   
gently and half pulled her into the room. Relena, utterly befuddled,  
followed obediantly.  
  
Inside, her throat constricted tightly at the sight of four other  
gentleman. The first that caught her eye was the man who had delivered  
the letter. Another stood leaning against a wall, sharpening an  
impressive sword. Another was sitting in a chair, reading. But the one  
that attracted her gaze the most and *held* it, was the stately figure  
clad in royal blue velvet. He turned from his position at the window and  
gazed at her with indifferent, carelessly cool prussian blue eyes.  
  
At her entrance, the men that were sitting stood. Managing to rumage  
up some memories from her time living in a richer house when her mother  
was alive and serving a wealthy lady, Relena nodded to them, albeit  
shakily -though she hid it well, Quatre noticed- and they sat.  
  
"Miss Dorlayn?" The man with the enrapturing eyes inquired, his voice  
cool, calculated, and portraying nothing other than lofty indifference.  
Relena nodded, and returned his hard stare. Something inside her stirred...  
She felt oddly urged not to let this man think her weak or too obediant.  
  
"I be- er, I am she, sir." Relena made a mental note to rearrange her  
words before speaking them.  
  
"Very good then," The man, whom Relena realized could only be the  
Lord Proffessor Heery Yuy, doused the barely touched cigar in his hands  
in the ash tray. Relena looked at it before he did so, and was surprised  
to find it not even lit.  
  
"I will be brief, Miss Dorlayn." He told her. "If you accept the offer  
I am about to make you, you will live here, eat well, sleep in a  
feather bed, be taught to dress, walk, talk, sit, stand, act, eat,  
converse, write, read, sing, dance, and generaly *be* a highborn lady.  
It will not be easy, and you will work hard." He paused as a maid in  
a trim little black and white outfit entered and set down the tray she  
was carrying on the table. She bobbed a curtsey, then left. Lord Yuy  
poured himself a cup of tea, and though he lifted it to his mouth,  
he didn't drink. Relena found this rather odd...  
  
But before she could contemplate his odd behavior with cigars and tea,  
he continued. "If you decline," He went on. "You will be promptly  
shipped back to the gutter where Sir Trowa found you, and you will never  
have this chance again, is that clear?"  
  
"Quite...clear..." Relena nodded, doing her best to sort out the city  
street tones of her voice. She already knew what her answer would be...  
  
"Now, here is my offer," He looked her in the eye. Relena held her  
ground and didn't even flinch. A flicker of amusement passed through  
Lord Yuy's eyes, but that was it. The rest of him remained coldly  
emotionless. "My offer is this; a friend of mine have a wager on who  
is the better proffessor, instructor, teacher, whatever word you wish  
to use. To decide who is better, we both have two weeks to find a   
guttersnipe with absolutely no education worth mentionin, no family,  
and horrible speech." He mock sipped his tea again. "We both have only  
those two weeks to turn that guttersnipe girl into a lady of breed,  
graceful and eloquint enough to fool even Treize Kushreinada." Relena's  
eyes widened at the name. Even in the streets, the poor knew of that  
name as if it were the name of the King.  
  
"At the end of those two weeks," Lord Yuy continued without missing a  
beat. "Duke Treize Kushrienada will hold his annual Moon Festival Ball.  
At that Ball, my friend and I -Milliardo Peacecraft- will present our  
ladies of choice. The instuctor of the lady who makes the biggest,  
best impression wins."  
  
Relena, eyes wide, looked away, trying to find something else to fix  
her gaze on to get her anger under control. Had this man no feelings or  
sense of honor whatsoever? Did he think that flower girls were a bunch  
of pepples one could pick up at random and do with what they wish? Did  
he hope that by painting her, as a rock, he would turn her into a gem?  
Granted, the prospect of going to the legendary -for her kind, anyways-  
Moon Harvest Ball was quite entrancing, but to be treated like a pepple  
in need of polishing...  
  
Well, she did need polishing, didn't she? And once this was all over,  
she'd have the means to get herself a suitable position. Perhaps a  
lady's maid, or in a flowershop, or perhaps....  
  
Relena's breath caught in her throat. Could she? With this man's  
teaching, could she accomplish such a thing as was her greatest dream  
ever since childhood?  
  
Slowly, she looked up at the Lord Proffessor Heero Yuy.  
  
"At first, sir, I 'ad meant to saiy no." So quick was her breath, and  
the adrenaline so thick in her veins with the prospect of reaching her  
childhood dream that she didn't stop to plan out her words. She  
grinned. "But I think its a swell idea, soir, and I thank yee kindly for  
pickin' me. I accept!"  
  
"Then let us begin," Lord Yuy only sparred her a brisk nod before  
snapping his fingers. A pair of chunky women in maid's cloths entered.  
  
Duo, sitting back and crossing his ankles atop the coffee table,  
grinned as she was borne away. 'This is going to be fun...'  
  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
  
Awfully short, I know, but I've gone so long without posting I thought  
it best to go ahead and post what I had. I wasn't lazing about, though!  
For the reason that I have gone so long without posting anything, read  
the footnotes in chapter four of 'Kitten's Angel.'  
  
Ja ne, all! And remember; reviews = happy author = more chapters much  
quicker!!!!!! Ja!  
  
  
  
-Alexia Goddess  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	4. Chapter Three

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Three  
  
  
  
  
  
  
All Relena could do was stare at what lay before her, on *her* bed. A  
multitude of all sorts of odds and ends of clothing were arranged on  
top of cream silk, white gold edged goose down comforter, and the only  
things Relena recognized was the dress and stockings.  
  
Barely two hours had passed since she had been borne away by a servant  
and lead to Governess Noin, the woman who would be in charge of  
supplying the more...feminine aspects of her 'training.'  
  
And so here she was, after being scrubbed, washed, dunked, scrubbed  
again, primped, plumped, fed, washed again, and dressed in an odd  
assortment of undergarments, her hair up in a simple bun for the time  
being. Speaking of her hair, she couldn't stop glancing at it in the  
mirror that was over her vanity -*her* vanity!- to her left. It was  
such a glorious golden color! All her life she'd believed it to be a  
dark, dull brown. But when it was clean... Even Governess Noin had  
commented on what a rare, lovely shade it was.  
  
But now Relena was completely at her wits end. Noin had told her to  
dress and meet her down the hall in one of the upstairs sitting rooms,  
but she didn't have the slightest clue where to begin.  
  
Relena started as she heard a giggle behind her, and she turned to see  
an amused looking girl with bright green eyes and ebony black curls.  
At first it looked like she had shortly cut, boyish hair, but then it  
was seem that her hair was simply pulled back very slick into a low  
bun at the nape of her neck.  
  
"You look like you could use some help," The girl said in a pleasant  
voice. Relena nodded, her eyes wide and hopeful. The girl laughed.  
  
"I'm Hilde," She said, stepping forward. Relena judged from her dress  
to be a maid. "I'll be helping you learn the ins and outs of a 'proper;  
lady's wardrobe." She lifted a corset up off the bed. "I'm assuming  
you know what this is?" Relena shook her head helplessly and Hilde  
raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Well, then, I guess we'll start from the top," Said Hilde, giving  
Relena a one armed hug. Relena sighed and smiled.  
  
"Thank you," She said, and Hilde smiled and proceeded to name and  
explain the purpose of every bit of clothing on the bed.  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh, my..." Governess Noin's eyes widened considerably, and she blinked  
several times in surprise. Whens he finally gathered herself, her mouth  
widened in a very pleased grin.  
  
"How lovely!" She said, standing and setting down her teacup  
approaching the very respectibly dressed Relena. Relena seemed a bit  
unsure, at first, but then squared her shoulders determindly and  
curtseyed prettily -Hilde had taken a few extra moments to help her  
learn how to do so- and then turned around slowly when she rose from  
doing so. Noin clapped delicately in an appreciative sort of way.  
  
"What an improvement!" Noin exclaimed, hands on hips, looking Relena  
up and down. The golden haired girl wore a deep blue skirt -rounded  
out from the use of a smaller hoop skirt underneath- and simple  
white blouse with a ruffle under the neck, pinned with a sapphire and  
pearl brooch. Her hair was done up in an assortment of curls and  
ringlets that tumbled down to her neck and framed her face prettily.  
  
"Well themn," Noin said with a smile. "Have a seat and we'll get to  
work on your table manners."  
  
Relena wanted to say, indignently, that her table manners were  
perfectly fine...then she sighed inwardly. She didn't want to fight  
with Miss Noin; she seemed like a lovely woman. And besides...she *had*  
agreed to learn what they had to teach, and she wasn't about th pass  
up an opportunity for a friend *and* lessons to help her reach her  
goal...  
  
Of course, she thought that all before she saw how Governess Noin  
sipped her full tea cup with her pinky finger extended, her grip on  
the thread-thin handle looking precarious.  
  
Suppressing a sigh and firming her resolve to learn to do anything that  
Noin or Yuy threw at her, Relena gracefully walked towards the seat  
across from Noin, and sat.  
  
And her skirts promptly went flying up as the hoop skirt twisted  
upwards and smacked Relena in the face.  
  
Thus, rather than their first lesson being on how to sip tea and eat  
cake properly, it was on how to sit so your own skirts wouldn't whap  
you in the face!  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh...my...word..." The crystal blue eyed, high eye-browed, pale blonde  
haired girl's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as she entered  
the entry way of Sanq Palace. The golden filigrees and royal blue  
velvet cushions alone would have made her gasp in wonder, but the  
crystal shandeliers, gold candleabras, the plush oriental carpet, fresh  
flowers on polished, mahogany tables...  
  
Dorothy Catalonia snapped her jaw shut and swallowed. What had the lord  
of this grand place called her for? How did he even know she existed?  
If he wanted her for certain services... Dorothy's face suddenly went  
dark. She was no prostitute! She may not be a seamstress's apprentice  
like a proper young girl should, but she was no guttersnipe slut!  
  
A man decked out in full velvet and brocade finery came too her,  
snapped his heels together and bowed.  
  
"This way, miss," He said, giving her a disdainful look. Dorothy tried  
her best to look haughty and like she belonged, but she was sorely  
aware of her tattered black skirt and even more tattered brown  
peasant's gown; stick gatherers couldn't afford fancy clothes. For that  
was what Dorothy was; a mere stick gatherer, to give to the woodsman  
who gave it to rich folk along with his wood, to help start their  
fires.  
  
But the letter delivered to her by a ridder in a fine satin cape one  
evening, to her shed on the outside of a barn a more generous family  
had let her build and stay in, had promised her wealth and the means  
to make a better life for herself, and she had snatched it, running all  
the way here even as she finished reading the letter.  
  
Dorothy was lead up a spiraling staricase covered with the softest of  
soft rugs; she could tell because she was barefoot. She had always been  
barefoot, since before she could remember.  
  
Dorothy followed the footman up the stairs and down another plush  
hallway, more of a corridor, really, and to gold inlaid double doors.  
  
The footman gave Dorothy one last scornful sneer, to which Dorothy  
glared back fiercely, and the footman opened the door.  
  
"Presenting Miss Dorothy Catalonia," He said in a stately, one hundred  
percent snobbish voice. Dorothy peeked her head inside, and was  
suddenly very glad for her outgoing, bold nature. Had she been any less  
of the girl she was, she would have turned tail, ran, and hidden. The  
company that sat around having tea and cigars -for the men- made her  
look like a bug.  
  
Swallowing and once again being thankful for her bold personality, she  
stepped around the corner, head held high, as she looked each and every  
one of the nobles sitting there in the eye with a proud look about her.  
  
A man, one with shoulder length pale blonde hair so pale it was white,  
and sparkling sea green eyes, caught Dorothy's eyes and held it,  
smiling gently.  
  
"You may go, Rudolf," The man said to the footman in a soft voice. The  
footman snapped his heels together, bowed, and left, closing the door  
behind him.  
  
"Dorothy," The man said, taking a sip of his tea. Dorothy hid her being  
offended by his not even standing momentarily when she had entered, or  
when addressing her.  
  
"As you have probably guessed by now," The man went on, not noticing  
Dorothy's glare. "My name is Milliardo Peacecraft. I am the lord of  
this palace, and your benefactor to be."  
  
"Benefactor?" Dorothy repeated in an inquisitive tone. "To Be?"  
  
Milliardo smiled.  
  
"Miss Dorothy," He said. "I have a proposition for you."  
  
  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
  
  
Sorry this took so long to get out!!!!! I really don't have an excuse  
other than I just lost interest for a while.... *sweatdrop* gomen.  
Thanks a million to all of you who have stuck with the story thus far!  
I know it's not all that...exciting...this is my first non-violence  
fic. Meaning there might be a friendly sword fight or two, but no real  
battles or fist fights... *pouts* Or maybe I'll find a way to squeeze  
on in...  
  
Anyhoo, hope you enjoyed! I'll try and get the next part out soon!!!  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,  
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	5. Chapter Four

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Four  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"One two three, one two three, one two three, and turn...curtsey/bow...  
There you go. And again. One two three, one two three..."  
  
Relena resisted the urge to wipe the back of her sweaty neck as she  
turned under Quatre's arm, then curtseyed to him as he bowed. She had  
thought learning how to lift and lower a teacup with only two fingers  
would be hard...  
  
(AN: Which, actually, if you do it the proper way and it's real china,  
it IS hard! Especially when you do it over and over and over...)  
  
But this was plain torture! Nevermind the fact that she somewhat liked  
it... Quatre was an excellent dancer, patient, and never complained  
when she accidentally stepped on his toes. And the knowledge that with  
every step she took she came closer to obtaining her lifelong dream...  
  
As Relena let herself accidentally slip into her own world of fantasies  
of hope, she tripped on the hem of her skirt and fell face first onto  
the floor.  
  
"Oh, Miss Relena!" Noin, along with Quatre, was instantly on either  
side of her, lifting her up. Relena, flushed with embarrassment,  
mumbled an apology, then groaned when she saw the torn hem of her  
skirt.  
  
"Oh, Miss Noin, I'm so sorry!" Relena said in earnest.  
  
"Oh, it's jus the lace," Noin said dismissively, examining the hem.  
"And you should say 'My deepest apologies, Miss Noin. 'Sorry' is never  
used, only 'apologies.'"  
  
"My apologies for my mistake, Miss Noin," Relena said prettily, drilling  
that bit of info into her mind so that she would never forget it.  
  
"Perfect," Quatre told her with a gentle smile. He held out his arms.  
"Now, shall we try again?" Relena nodded, and placed her right hand  
on his shoulder, and slipped her left hand into his right. Miss Noin  
set the needle of the phonograph on the record, and the music began  
again.  
  
"And one, two, three, one, two, three, one, two, three..." Noin  
continued keeping count, Relena's brow furrowed in concentration as  
she desperately tried to keep her steps matching Quatre's, not step  
on his feet, and trying to look graceful all at once.  
  
Abruptly, the music came to a screetching halt. Quatre stopped, and  
Relena, not expecting the halting of either the music or Quatre,  
lost her balance. Quatre barely managed to keep her from careening  
into the floor a second time.  
  
As the golden haired girl straightened her skirts, she looked up as  
a cold voice stated his opinion of he dancing.  
  
"Pitiful," Was the word Lord Professor Heery Yuy decided to use.  
Relena, tongue in cheek, reminded herself that anger solved nothing,  
and the emotion was quenched and replaced with a downheartedness  
that clearly showed in her flushed, downcast features.  
  
"She has made great progress," Noin said stoutly, frowning at her  
employer. Proffessor Yuy ignored her and walked purposefully over to  
them.  
  
"Really, Heero, she's not that bad," Quatre, ever the peacemaker.  
"You shouldn't judge so. Truely, as Governess Noin said, she is  
improving."  
  
"Then I dread to think of what she was like when you started," Came  
Professor Yuy's cold tones as he looked Relena up and down. He sighed,  
and shrugged off his jacket and handed it to Quatre, who, suddenly  
getting it, stepped back.  
  
"Start the music, Miss Noin," The Professor commanded. Noin, blinking,  
did so, but not without protest.  
  
"Sir, teaching the girl to dance is part of my duties."  
  
"Yes, but if you continue teaching her everything, then when she wins  
this wager it will have been *you* that will deserve the credit." Yuy  
told her. "It's time I took up my share of the work. I am the one who  
had her brought here, afterall. Now, start the music."  
  
Noin, understanding but not pleased, set the needle on the record  
once more.  
  
"Now, girl, for one thing you're much to tense. This is a dance, not a  
march." Heero grabbed Relena's shoulders and rolled them up and down,  
causing the muscle to relax.  
  
"Now, don't let yourself tense up again, you hear?" Relena nodded,  
her face a mask of stunned surprise. All she could do was nod and obey.  
Heero placed his right arm around her waist, just above the small of  
her back, and his left hand took her right hand, raising them slightly.  
Relena put her hand on his shoulder, swallowed, and they began to move  
with the music in a square, Heero leading.  
  
"Stop." He said. "No, not the music, the girl here," He snapped when  
Noin went to pause the music. Noin pursed her lips, but said nothing.  
  
"Your hand is much to close to my neck," Heero told a wide eyed Relena.  
"And stop gaping at me."  
  
Relena shook herself, mentally, snapped her jaw shut, and forced her  
eyes back to their normal size. Not in the entire week she'd been here  
had she heard Lord Yuy say more than three words at a time, and now  
here he was, rambling off orders in quite a rapid succession! She  
watched with fascination as he readjusted her hand on his shoulder.  
  
"See how much more stable your hand's position is, now?" He told her.  
Relena blinked. It did feel more comfortable!  
  
"And your shoulders and arms have become tense again," He pointed out.  
Relena was surprised by the amount of patience in his voice. Relena  
rolled her shoulders on her own to get them to relax, while Heero  
adjusted the angle of her arms, making them go from angles to gracefully  
swooping limbs.  
  
"Now, again." They waited for a tune in the music, and began again.  
  
Miraculously, Relena managed to keep from stepping on Heero's foot for  
a total of two minutes.  
  
"Oh, I'm so sor- er, my apologies, my lord, er, professor...Mr. Yuy..."  
Relena fumbled for the proper wording.  
  
"Professor is fine," He told her passively, looking down at the  
indention in the toes of his boot made by Relena's heel. He narrowed  
his eyes at her footware, then commanded. "Take your shoes off."  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
"Take them off. You're not comfortable in them, you're balance is  
awful, and they look painful. Take them off."  
  
Stepping away from Heero, Relena went and sat in a chair against the  
wall of the ballroom, reached down under her skirts and pried off  
the awful shoes, and set them neatly under the chair. She couldn't  
suppress a sigh of utter relief when she stood up and flexed her  
cramped toes.  
  
"Come." It was, once again, a demand, not a question or a request.  
Relena obeyed, and this time she remembered to keep her shoulders  
relaxed. She put her and in the new position on his shoulder, and  
did her best to keep her arms graceful.  
  
The music, which Miss Noin had paused, started again.  
  
Both Miss Noin and Quatre's eyes widened to the size of dinnerplates,  
and a slightly satisfied gleem was seen in Heero's eyes.  
  
Relena danced like an angel.  
  
Heero moved out of the box step, leading the golden haired girl in his  
arms in some simpler dance movements, twirling, spinning, sidestepping...  
Relena followed his movements without hesitation, and with confidence.  
  
After another hour, with Heero's guidance and an occassional 'your  
shoulders are tense again,' or 'move your hand,' Relena was adequet in  
several common dances and waltzs.  
  
"Enough." Heero announced, abruptly dropping Relena's hand and stepping  
away. "Stop the music Miss Noin."  
  
Noin, smiling, did so.  
  
"You danced splendidly, Miss Relena," Quatre told her. Relena blushed  
as she sat and reluctantly crammed her feet back into her shoes.  
  
"Thank you, Colenol Winner," She thanked him. "You are most kind."  
  
"Should I keep her practicing?" Noin asked Heero as he put his jacket  
back on.  
  
"No." He stated. "Take her into town at buy a dress fitting for an  
outdoor outting. I'm taking her to the horseraces tomorrow."  
  
Relena drew in a sharp breath as she watched him leave. Horseraces?  
  
Uh-oh....  
  
  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
  
Sorry it took so long! But this time I have an excus- er, explanation!  
KITTEN'S ANGEL IS COMPLETE!!!!!!!! WAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Oh, and my  
website is FINALLY up! You can click on the link on my author's page,  
or here's the URL:  
http://www.geocities.com/Makura_Petals/  
  
Ja ne!  
  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,   
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	6. Chapter Five

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Five  
  
  
  
  
  
*Breathe, Relena, breathe...just breath....just keep breathing...and  
hold your temper! Keep your right and wrong speeches to yourself this  
time, alright? Last time was horrible enough...no need to go and  
get the Professor and Quatre and wonderful Noin in trouble, too....  
though I doubt *they'd* get flogged... But a flogging would be better  
than the humiliation I'm going to suffer since they'll believe me to be  
a lady and- STOP IT! You're acting as if you've already done it! You  
*won't!* Just hold your tongue like a lady should and everything will  
be fine... Now, practive your verb pronounciations...There's a good  
girl, Relena...*  
  
Relena soundly wondered if she had gone mad, after listening to her  
own thoughts run around in a jumble as Quatre stepped out of the  
carriage that had just pulled up to the entrance to one of the grandest  
horse race arenas in the country.  
  
Quatre moved to offer his hand to Relena, when Heero got out first.  
Quatre threw his gentlemanly-esq-lacking friend a hopeless glance before  
succeeding in helping Relena out of the carriage.  
  
"My dear, you're shaking," Quatre murmered.  
  
"Pre-performance nerves," She whispered, giving him a shaky smile.  
"Everything depends on me *being* a grand lady today. I can't fail..."  
  
"Then you won't." Heero said suddenly, overhearing the conversation.  
"At least you'd better not." And he walked towards the driver of the  
carriage to give him instructions on what time to pick them up.  
  
Quatre sighed forlornly. "He'll never be a gentleman at heart, but at  
least he gave some form of encouragement. He never used to say anything  
other than 'hn.'" He chuckled and Relena raised an eyebrow. She  
extended her umbrella and rested it over her shoulder.  
  
"Nothing else?" She asked elegantly. Might as well get into character  
now...  
  
"Nothing." Quatre said, offering his arm, and Relena took it. "We  
learned to distinguish from his tone if he was angry, didn't care, or  
if he meant 'yes' or 'no.'"  
  
"How peculiar," Relena said with flair. Hilde had informed her that  
'peculiar' was the latest word most popularily used by high born ladies.  
Relena had thought it most ridiculous that there were *words* that were  
in style as well as the dreadfully uncomfortable white dress and  
humongous hat she wore. And really, they didn't match. The hat was  
covered in an assortment of flowers that weighed a ton, while around  
he waist as a half a foot wide pink and white candy-cane striped ribbon that  
tied in a humongous bow at the small of her back.  
  
But, fashion was fashion, and a lady wasn't a lady without it. Still,  
Relena wasn't glad she wasn't responsible for such an outrageous outfit.  
  
Presently the Professor caught up with them, as Quatre and Relena had  
just gotten in line to hand in their tickets.  
  
"No, no, we're sitting in Noventa's pew box." Heero said, annoyed.  
"This way." He took Relena's arm, forcing her to unlink her other arm  
from Quatre's, and follow as quickly as her tight skirt would allow.  
He lead her and Quatre -Quatre smiling in amusement- to a privet  
entrance. Heero flashed the three tickets at the gateman, and the  
gateman opened the gate, revealing steps leading up to a lushly  
decorated and comfortable platform with railings all the way around  
and tall, greek style pillars. Since it was high up, you had a splendid  
view of the entire race track.  
  
The racers were admited onto the track to begin their parad just as  
the threesome reached the pew box.  
  
"Heero!" The exclaimation came from a woman with platinum blonde hair  
and bright blue eyes, clad in a white gown a skirt that gave a little  
more leeway than Relena's, an empire waist accented by a blue ribbon,  
and a huge bonnett covered in bluebells that -in Relena's opinion-  
weren't of the best quality. And she should know.  
  
The woman embraced Heero briefly, which he did not return. Apparently  
expecting his reaction -or rather, lack of- she then saw Quatre,  
Relena on his arm once more.  
  
"And Colenol Quatre, how lovely to see you both!" The woman moved and  
lightly hugged Quatre, kissing him on both cheeks. She then saw Relena,  
and her smile faltered slightly.  
  
"And who might this charming young flower be?" She inquired, raising  
her eyebrow at Quatre and Heero.  
  
"How do you do?" Relena asked politely, bending her knees slightly in  
a slight, casual bob of a curtsey. "My name is Relena Dorlain." Her  
smile never faltered, her voice ever sincere.  
  
"She's a niece of my cousin's husband's sister," Heero said casually,  
accepting a flute glass of champagne from a server. Again, Relena noted  
that although he lifted it to his lips in the manner of sipping it  
lightly, he didn't actually drink any.  
  
"The Professor was kind enough to allow me to attend this event with  
himself and Colenol Quatre," Relena said politely, in the slightly  
reserved manner appropriate for a girl under eighteen and not yet  
married.  
  
"How refreshingly charming and lovely," The woman's smile was genuine,  
now. "I am Sylvia Noventa," She introduced herself, and the girls  
clasped hands with a gentle touch in a delicate version of a handshake.  
  
Trumpets sounded, preventing any of them from saying anything more,  
as the horses and their riders finished their parade, and entered their  
own little stalls in the starting blocks.  
  
At the sight of the horses prancing in their starting stalls, some  
fighting the bit, some waiting patiently, Relena felt her throat  
seize up, and her stomach retch as cheers went up at the sound of the  
gunshot. Her heart twisted cruelly as the horses leaped through the  
now open gates. Oh, if only these people knew what really happened  
back in those stables before and after the races...  
  
"Are you all right, my dear?" Sylvia asked Relena, touching her shoulder.  
Relena suppressed the instict to jump away, and smiled reassuringly.  
  
"I'm fine, Miss Noventa," Relena assured her in a gentle voice. "Please,  
accept my apologies for my mind being elsewhere. It was most rude of  
me."  
  
"Oh, think nothing of it child." Sylvia said. "Please, have a seat. I  
know the air of the races is exciting. Is it your first time?"  
  
Relena suddenly felt like a deer caught in the lamplight as she sat  
in a white washed wicker chair, clutching the armrest so that her  
knuckles went white.  
  
"N-no," She swallowed, then forced a delicate smile. "I went once with...  
with my father when I was young."  
  
Okay, so that last bit was a lie. She had never known her father and  
she had gone only two years ago. But at least the part about her having  
been to the races at all was true...  
  
  
  
*FLASH*BACK*  
  
  
Relena was shaking with excitement and anticipation. She had done it!  
For months she had watched the other street urchin boys sneak into the  
horserace arenas through a hidden entrance through the stables. For  
weeks she had fought with herself, whether or not to try it for  
herself...what if she was caught? And even if she wasn't, was it  
right?  
  
No, it wasn't, but Relena was at a time in her life when she didn't  
care about what was right or wrong anymore, aside from the extreme  
things, like killing someone.  
  
So she had finally done it. She had finally followed the street urchin  
boys in. She had gotten seperated, but no matter; she could find her  
way back.  
  
So a thirteen year old Relena sneaked around till she found a little  
hole in the wall that gave a good view of the track. A stack of hay  
on her right, a bale behind her, and a stall wall to her left hid her  
from view very well indeed.  
  
It was just before the races were starting that a sound unlike any  
other tore her attention from the track. It was a sound of agony and  
rage, an inhuman sound, a sound that made Relena's young eyes widen in  
terror, a sound that would give her nightmares for the rest of her  
life. So she huddled down into the hay, terrified. It was because she  
had burried herself back in the hay that she wasn't seen when a burly  
man came into view, over past the bale of hay that had been to her  
back, and down the hall.  
  
What she saw made her retch in disgust; the man had a bloody whip in  
his hand, and in his other he held the reins of a thrashing, screaming  
horse. A magnificent horse, pure white and proud. Stripes of fiery red  
blood crisscrossed the horse's sides and hide.  
  
"There, and there ya bloody beast! That'll teach ye to defy me!"  
  
"Stop..." Relena whispered, as the whip fell again. The horse screamed.  
  
"Stop..." She sobbed, louder this time. Still the man didn't hear, and  
again the whip lashed out...  
  
"STOP IT!!!!!" Relena leaped up, screaming at the top of her lungs.  
  
The whip paused, and the man turned. The horse gasped for air, but  
didn't move other than that, for fear of the whip. His sides quivered,  
pain screamed from his eyes as he looked at her...such pain and sorrow  
Relena saw there, it marred her young heart permanently.  
  
*Run,* The white stallion's eyes seemed to burn into her. *He'll bridle  
and try to break you, too, like he did me. Run!*  
  
But Relena stood fast, whether from sheer stupidity or bravery, she  
never could tell. All she remembered was the man's sneer, the heavyness  
in his footsteps as he came at her, the crack of the whip as it came  
down...then nothing...nothing but the pain...  
  
  
  
  
*END*FLASH*BACK*  
  
  
  
Relena sat, her face pale as a sheet. She was saved from questioning,  
however, as attention left her before she became white enough to draw  
concern. The new object of attention in the pew box was the arrival of  
two whom Sylvia's greeted fondly, and at whose arrival Heero became a  
positive blackboard, he was so visibly stiff.  
  
Relena was saved from rethinking on the sudden onslaught of memory by  
her manners demanding she greet the newcomers. So she stood, put on her  
game face, and let lady Relena take over, while girl Relena huddled  
in the back of her mind, weeping.  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
Dorothy stepped down out of the carriage, assisted by a manservant  
that had come with them, ridding on the back of the carriage. She  
didn't give him a second thought as she turned and waited for her  
'benefactor' to exit.  
  
Dorothy made a shocking sight at the entrance to the horse races. It  
was an unspoken rule that one -if one was a lady- wore white to such  
an event. But Dorothy was never one for rules; she was clad in deep  
hunter green, accented at her empire waist by an ice blue ribbon that  
matched her eyes.  
  
"You look lovely, child," Milliardo told her as he stepped down and  
offered her arm. She took it delicately, extending her umbrella over  
her shoulders as she did so. Another aspect of her shocking appearence  
was she wore no hat; she let her long ice blonde tresses hang down  
behind her, tammed only by a deep green velvet brocade headband.  
  
"Of course I do," She said. Milliardo fixed her with a stern look.  
"Because you're the one who taught me how to dress." She added smoothly.  
Milliardo smirked. The girl was quick, it was true. And while her  
none-white-attire would certainly draw attention....well, he wanted  
her to make a spectacle, did he not? He knew that if he trained her to  
be the perfect, china doll-esq lady that all other noblewoman were like,  
he knew there was no doubt that Yuy would win hands down. No, if he was  
to win, he had to go for something different...something new...something  
fresh and vibrant.  
  
Dorothy was definately vibrant. Though not as vibrant as another blonde  
he remembered so fondly....  
  
Milliardo smiled. Being an orphan was trying at times, especially when  
Dorothy reminded him so much of his beloved little sister, God rest her  
darling soul.  
  
But he shouldn't think of such things, now! He had a wager to win...  
He lead Dorothy over to the entrance to a privet pew box.  
  
"Ticket, sir?" The gatekeeper added, trying to keep his eyes off   
Dorothy.  
  
"I was personally invited by Miss Sylvia Noventa," Milliardo told him  
with a frown, handing him the tickets. The gatekeeper looked them over,  
then nodded and opened the gate. Dorothy, on Milliardo's arm, smiled  
a rather cat-like grin as they ascended the steps to the platform that  
was the pew box.  
  
They were greeted warmly by Sylvia herself, whom Dorothy recognized  
from a small portrait Milliardo had in his study. Dorothy also  
recognized -from other portraits and sketches and a few photos Milliardo  
happened to have- Colenol Quatre, and Lord Professor Heero Yuy. She  
was aware of Milliardo's dislike for the younger Professor, and if   
Lord Yuy's posture was any indication, he returned Dorothy's benefactor's  
sentiments.  
  
The only person present who's identity Dorothy did not know was of the  
young woman that simply *demanded* respect. Her honey golden hair was  
arranged in a mass of golden ringlets that, coupled with her dazzling  
blue-green cerulean eyes made her look like an angel, clad in white  
and candy pink. Her eyes spoke volumes of hidden pain and sufferage,  
but also of an innocent wisdom, knowledge, that was beyond her years.  
What was even more peculiar, was that you could tell the girl had no  
idea she possessed such a vast understanding or commanding presence.  
  
Dorothy smiled as she realized that not only was this young woman her  
competition, but that she had found a kindred spirit in this golden  
haired beauty. Her smiled widened, as the woman introduced herself as  
Relena Dorlayn, that Relena had her heart set on winning.  
  
Dorothy had real competition in Relena, she realized, recognizing a  
fighter's spirit. This would be an interesting contest, indeed...  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
  
Hey, this is actually decently long...cool! Okies, I have the rest of  
the story planned down to a T, and I'm going to go work on chap 6  
right now, so with some luck this story should be complete by next  
week! Ja!  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,  
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	7. Chapter Six

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Six  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"You don't like the races, do you?"  
  
Relena whirled at the inquiry, barely masking her surprise at seeing  
the blonde girl that stood there.  
  
"Miss Dorothy, you startled me," Relena said pleasantly. At least, her  
voice was pleasant...  
  
"Please, none of that 'miss' stuff."  
  
"Oh, but I insist," Relena said in her most delicate voice. The thought  
of calling this girl by her name, as if they were *friends,* was...  
distasteful.  
  
Relena was the only one in the pew box, due to Sylvia dragging everyone  
over to see a few friends. Relena had begged a headache from the sun,  
and stayed in the box to avoid going out to where she had no choice but  
to look at the horses taking a break from the first race, panting,  
sweating...  
  
"Animals aren't too fond of me, you see," Relena told her, in way of  
explanation for Dorothy's earlier inquiry. Dorothy smiled and nodded,  
but said nothing. She didn't need to. Relena knew that Dorothy knew  
that she was lying. Animals loved Relena, actually...  
  
Presently, the next race began, and Syliva and everyone came back.  
  
"Did she say anything to you?" Heero asked, his voice flat and cold  
as ever as he came up beside her.  
  
"Who, Dorothy?" Relena asked innocently. Heero glared at her out of  
the corner of his eye. She masked a grin. "Oh, no, Professor. She's  
perfectly lovely. A tad peculiar, but lovely nonetheless. How peculiar  
her dress is, though...not the proper sort of white one would wear to  
the Races, is it?"  
  
"No, no it's not," Heero scowled, though there was a hint of...smuggness?  
Or was it satisfaction? Either way, he had a curious gleem in his  
prussian eyes nonetheless.  
  
Several hours later, during which the entire time Relena always managed  
to find an excuse to stay in the pew box or not comment on the previous  
race or winner, something that escaped the notice of all but Heero and  
Dorothy. Luckily, neither said anything.  
  
It wasn't until Professor Yuy, Colenol Winner, and Relena were all  
safe back at home, sipping tea in a large ornate sitting room before a  
roaring fire that Quatre brought it up- 'it' being Relena's odd  
behavior at the races.  
  
"Miss Relena," Quatre asked. "Miss Dorothy happened to mention that you  
had a dislike of the races due to your lack of compatibility with  
animals. Yet, only a few days ago, I saw a sparrow land on your arm,  
and yesterday you were quite friendly with Mr. Maxwell's dog."  
  
Relena froze, swallowed, and then forced herself to take a sip of tea  
to keep up the pretense of a lady undisturbed.  
  
She failed miserably, as her shaking caused her hand to tip the teacup  
and spill it into her saucer. She quickly set it down, almost knocking  
over the cup completely.  
  
"You don't like the horseraces." Heero summed. "Why?"  
  
Relena swallowed.  
  
"Personal," She murmured. "Bad experience, I suppose..." 'Bad experience'  
was an understatement.  
  
"I didn't ask you if it was personal or not, I asked you why you're  
afraid of-"  
  
"I'm not afraid!" Relena said suddenly. She swallowed and looked away  
from the looks of slight surprise on the two men's faces at her  
exclamation.  
  
"I told you," She said softly. "Bad experience."  
  
An awkward silence engulfed them as Heero regarded the girl through  
narrowed eyes.  
  
When at last the heavy silence got to her, Relena bid them both a   
hurried good night and fled upstairs to her room, where she tore off  
the ridiculous white gown with the pink candy striped ribbon and threw  
it aside, tears coursing down her face. She kicked the dress, then  
pulled a white nightgown on over her head, and slipped under the covers  
of her soft four poster bed.  
  
"Bad experience..." Relena murmured into her pillow. She grinned in  
irony. "How grand an understatement...."  
  
It was well into the night before Relena managed to calm her quaking  
limbs and near panicked mind and glimpse sleep. It was quite a while  
later that she was able to grasp sleep, and slip into its arms.  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
Relena could tell she was dreaming, because of the fact that although  
her arms, back, chest, and legs were torn and bloody, she felt no  
pain as she limped down the dirty London street in the pitch of night.  
  
For the rest of her life she would cringe at the sight of even a mere  
riding crop. Oh, the scars these marks would leave...  
  
Even though in the back of her mind Relena knew she was simply dreaming,  
remembering, she was still unable to hold on to that fact as she tripped,  
and suddenly all the pain came back. She cried out, sobbing in the muddy  
gutter that she had fallen into. Her blood turned the brown water a  
deep burgandy. Fire crisscrossed her body, agony seared her soul, and  
all the while she knew she could have avoided it if she had only kept  
her mouth shut...but at the cost of her own self worth. Or so she  
believed.  
  
As Relena lay, dying in the gutter, with nary a decent reason to pick  
herself up and tend to herself, thereby saving her own life, she thought  
about what she had seen...she remembered the terror in the grand stallion's  
eyes... She remembered, when stumbling out of the stables after the  
man had stalked away, thinking her dead, seeing the other horses, and  
suddenly realized that almost all of them had been dealt the same  
treatment their whole lives.  
  
Was mankind completely void of all emotions, of all sense of right and  
wrong? Had humanity lost...well, it's humanity? What was humanity anymore?  
Was human nature to do nothing but fight and hurt and kill and maim...  
  
No! It couldn't be! If nothing else, Relena knew that at least humans  
weren't *meant* to be like this... But to cruelty and evil mankind was  
going, unless people started opening their eyes and seeing for themselves  
what kind of a race they were becoming.  
  
But who to do it? Who to show them? Not her. Relena wasn't vain enough  
to think *she* could make a difference...could she? Yes, she would be  
scorned. People who knew her would think her a hypocrite, a foolish  
girl, an annoying pest to the world. But if she could touch one person...  
just one! Then it would be enough...  
  
But how? Get attention, that was the first step. She'd seen people  
stand up in the town square. They were shot down as quick as they stood  
up. No, doing something rash like that would only get her killed or  
jailed.  
  
That was when, laying in the gutter under the pouring rain, her life's  
blood leaking from her body, that it came to her...  
  
Relena suddenly found the desire to get up and to live, but suddenly,  
as she tried to pull herself to her feet, she could she couldn't move.  
No matter how she strained, pulled, pushed, commanded her muscles,  
she couldn't budge! Like something was holding her down! She tried  
to scream, but a cold hand clamped down around her throat. Icy arms  
wrapped around her torso, around her knees. She had to get free! She  
had to live! She thrashed and twisted, but she was held fast...her  
blood kept pouring from her body....pouring...pouring... The rain  
kept falling...falling...thunder clashed and clapped...crashed and  
clapped...  
  
Blood pouring...  
  
Rain falling...  
  
Thunder crashing...  
  
Voices...she could hear the voices... Death was nearing... No! NO NO NO  
NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
"-NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Like a spear shattering the ice on a pond, or an  
ax splintering the wood of log, Relena crashed through the bonds of  
sleep, exploding into the waking world with a wildness that made her  
scream as sweat poured down her back and chest and face...  
  
Yet the icy arms still gripped her!!!! She thrashed, twisted....the  
rain still fell; she could hear it, all around her, on the ground, in  
the trees, drenching her. The thunder crashed overhead, illuminating  
the dark form of death that gripped her tightly to it...it's icy arms  
wrapped around her torso and legs, holding her tightly against itself...  
  
Some rational part of Relena's mind managed to comprehend that contrary  
to her dream, the arms that held her captive were not icy and threatening.  
No, they were warm...humanly warm...  
  
Relena blinked the rain water from her eyes, as she realized she  
was being carried by someone running towards the shelter of a tree.  
Running fast now, as her flailing and thrashing had paused. Presently  
they reached the shelter of the aforementioned tree, and a lightning  
bolt split the sky, for the slightest moment lighting up the face of  
her carrier.  
  
"Heero???!!!!!" Relena shrieked.  
  
"Miss Relena," Heero said with a tone of something akin to anger barely  
concealed by his traditional monotone voice. "Would you kindly explain  
why you were laying in the gutter outside the Sanq Palace in the middle  
of the night?"  
  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued....  
  
  
  
Short, I know, but once again, I want to get this finished. Probably  
on a couple of chapters more. Next chapter will be Relena 'spilling the  
beans' and getting ready for the Moon Harvest Ball...  
  
Till next time! Ja ne!  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,  
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
*STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	8. Chapter Seven

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"I was thirteen," Relena said softly, staring down into the golden  
coloured, steaming liquid that was her tea. "At least, I think I was.  
I really don't know how old I was. I don't really know how old I am  
now, though I estimate around sixteen." She moved to sip her tea, then  
admitted to herself she didn't have the strength or conviction to  
swallow. The blanket around her, nor the slippers on her feet, nor  
the roaring fire at her side gave her warmth. All she could do was  
remember...she hardly even prosessed that the Professor and Colenol  
Quatre were sitting in arm chairs in front of her, listening to her  
every word. Only her memories really had any solid place in her  
thoughts...  
  
"What happened?" Had Relena not been so deep in her own mind, she would  
have reeled in surprise along with Quatre when Heero spoke the words  
quietly.  
  
"Humanity happened," She said. "At least, the darker side of humanity."  
She bit her lip, raied her eyes slightly to stare into the fire. The  
bright, vibrant, screaming colors of rage read and sparkling orange  
were a sharp contrast to the previous dull golden of her tea.  
  
"I'd overhead a few boys talking about a 'secret' entrance to the   
stables surrounding the horse race track. They said there were several  
places inside the stables where you could watch the race with ease.  
  
"I battled with my conscience for ages over whether or not it was  
right or wrong to cheat the race company, I argued over if it would be  
worth getting caught. I love animals, as you've noticed by now. I  
used to love horses most of all... I still do, I just...avoid them now.  
Too many memories...horrible, horrible memories..." Relena shut her  
eyes tight against the onslaught of tears. Some deeper woman's  
intuition sensed dully that there was a third pair of ears listening  
in on the conversation, just outside the door...  
  
But she didn't care.  
  
The Professor nor Quatre said anything or did anything to offer support  
other than their silence, which, at the moment, Relena needed; had  
they said anything, she would have dissolved into tears and it would  
have been quite some time before she would have been able to continue.  
But someone Quatre sensed this, and signaled Heero to silence- not  
exactly a difficult thing to do.  
  
But within a few moments Relena collected heself, and she continued.  
  
"Eventually I decided to just do it. I got in fine, found the perfect  
hiding place. I had what had to be one of the best spying places. Then..."  
She swallowed and blinked rapidly. "There was this man..." She choked.  
"He...he was *beating* this horse...And I don't just mean kicking and  
whipping it...he was *killing* the horse! *Killing* it! And he had no  
remorse, no pity...no nothing...he was *enjoying* the power he had over  
the animal!"  
  
"Such things aren't uncommon, I'm afraid," Quatre murmured. Relena's  
head whipped up to stare ate him, tears running down her face.  
  
"You...you know that this happened? Happen*s*? Plural?" Her voice was  
incredulous. "Do you do nothing? Does no one do anything? Are there  
no laws against this?"  
  
"A few." Heero stated. "But scarcely are they enforced."  
  
Relena looked back to the fire. "So we are treated like animals..." She  
murmured.  
  
"Pardon?" Quatre asked. Relena's grip on her teacup tightened to a  
dangerous level.  
  
"We...those who make their living almost entirely off the generosity  
off others... Street sweepers, urchins, lamp lighters, stick gatherers,  
gutter cleaners...flower girls... We're treated just like that horse  
was?"  
  
"Explain," Was all that Heero said, narrowing his eyes. Relena looked  
at the fire once more, and swallowed.  
  
"The man...I tried to stop him. I don't know what came over me. I just  
jumped up and yelled for him to stop...he came at me..."  
  
"Oh, God..." Quatre rose to his feet and knelt at Relena's side, putting  
his hand on her shoulder. "Did he...?"  
  
"N-no, not *that,* thank God..." Relena said softly, her grip on the  
teacup tightening once more. The golden coloured tea had long since  
gone cold.  
  
"He whipped you." Heero suddenly stated, his previously narrowed eyes  
going to normal size, his equivilant of someone else's eyes widening  
to the size of saucers.  
  
Relena only nodded, her clasp tightening on the cup even harder...  
  
The teacup shattered, and with it, Relena broke down sobbing. She slid  
of the chair and Quatre pulled her into his arms, whispering words with  
soothing tones.  
  
Professor Yuy stared hard at the plush carpeted floor. His eyes  
flickered towards the door as his sensitive hearing picked up the sound  
of heavy footsteps stomping away... Had he not been so outwardly  
spartan-like, he would have smiled smugly. Duo would take care of  
things...  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
Relena awoke in her own bed, feeling as though a great and grand  
weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Sunlight streamed in through  
the gauzy curtains, and signs of the raging storm the previous night  
were nowhere to be found.  
  
All at once she remembered what had happened the previous night,  
sleepwalking outside into the storm during her nightmare, collapsing  
in the gutter, being carried back by Heero, telling the tale of her  
life's horror to both the Professor and Quatre... She must have  
fallen asleep...  
  
Remembering the shattered tea cup and suddenly feeling a sharp ache  
in her hands, she looked down to find her palms wrapped in crisp white  
linen.  
  
A bird's chirping outside her window, open to admit the fresh morning  
air, broke Relena out of her thoughtless reverie.  
  
Presently, Hilde poked her head into the room, concern on her face.  
Relena looked at her, and forced a smile.  
  
"I heard what happened last night," Hilde said softly, as she approached  
and sat on the edge of Relena's bed. Relena looked down at her hands.  
  
"Did...did you hear...w-why?" Relena forced herself to speak. Hilde  
smiled softly and shook her head.  
  
"No," She said. "But I don't need to. Whatever happened to make your  
nightmare so awful as to sleepwalk out into the middle of a storm...  
whatever it was it was horrible and you didn't deserve it." She leaned  
forward and kissed her friend on the forehead like she would if Relena  
were her little sister.  
  
"Now," She said. "Do you want to wear your spring green skirt with the  
cream blouse or your sun yellow morning gown?"  
  
Relena looked at Hilde, whose back was now to her as she opened Relena's  
wardrobe. Nothing but gratitude and thankfulness shone from her azure  
eyes as she swallowed, brushed the tears from her eyes, and answered.  
  
"The sun yellow," She said. "I feel today will be a cheerful day."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh my goodness!" Relena entered her room and promptly dropped the books  
the Professor had assigned her to read that afternoon.  
  
Standing at the foot of her bed was a wire manaquin, and on it...  
  
Relena's eyes widened, her breath quickened, and her hands shook as she  
stepped forward and gently, oh-so-hesitantly reached out a cautious,  
slender, trembling finger to stroke the luminescent white-gold coloured  
satin...  
  
Soft as her hands had become in the time she had been at Sanq Palace  
due to countless skin treatments, Relena could feel the pad of her  
tingertip begin to snag the all but glowing fabric of the breathtakingly  
faerie-queen-like gown.  
  
It hung off the shoulders in upside down scallops of gathered material,  
each dip of the scallop accented with a small white gem. The center  
dip, which went down the lowest, daringly so, had the biggest gem, the  
size of an enfant's fist. The bodice was tapered and tailored, she  
could tell, and would cling to the wearer's every curve, falling to the  
floor in multitudes of luxrious folds of the softest, cloud light,  
glowing cascades of white-gold light.  
  
"Like it?" Relena turned to hear a voice she hadn't heard very often  
during her stay at Sanq Palace. Baron Trowa Barton stood in the doorway,  
his hands in his pockets, a slight smile on his face.  
  
"L-like it?" Relena breathed. "My lord, it's...it's something from a...  
a dream... I... I mean, it...it's..."  
  
"It's yours." Trowa said simply. Relena froze and stared at him, her  
large emerald-sapphire eyes staring at him in utter bewilderment.  
  
"W-what?" She breathed.  
  
"That dress belongs to you." He repeated patiently, a knowing gleem in  
his emerald eyes. "I know you don't know, but with every success you've  
made these past weeks, the Professor has set aside an amount of coin  
for you. An allowance, if you will. That dress came out of the money he  
has been putting in a bank account that is in your name. And if I may  
add, you still have quite a generous amount left in that account."  
  
"M-my acc-account?" Relena was far from processing any of this.  
  
Trowa only smiled and bent over to pick up the books. He set them on the  
table by her window. "You'd better get started," He said, motioning to  
the books. "Your dance lesson is in a few hours."  
  
With that, he left, leaving Relena on the brink of fainting from shock.  
  
Suddenly, for the first time, Relena was actually *feeling* the fruits  
of her labor these past weeks...  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
"You're ready." Professor Yuy dropped Relena's hand and walked to  
a table against the wall of the ballroom, leaving Relena standing in  
the middle of the dance floor, stunned, for the second time that day.  
  
"P-pardon?" She stuttered in surprise. Heero poured himself a small  
glass of heavily watered brandy and sipped it lightly, the first time  
Relena had ever seen him actually consume somethin at any time other  
than meals. Even then he had eaten hardly anything.  
  
"You heard me." He told her in his low, emotionless voice that Relena  
had become accustomed to. "The two weeks are up." He set down the glass  
and went to the record player, and lifted the needle of the record  
and stopped the phonograph.  
  
"The two weeks are up and tomorrow the bet will be finalized," He said.  
Relena, suddenly comprehending, drew in a sharp breath.  
  
"The...the Ball..."  
  
"The annual Moon Harvest Ball," Heero said, turning to face her and  
look her in the eye. "Held at Rose Manor and hosted by Treize Kushreinada  
is tomorrow night."  
  
  
  
  
To Be Continued...  
  
  
  
Ta da! One more chappie to go...  
  
I would like to warn my constant readers (people who keep up with all  
my fics, or at least any ones other than this one) that my writting  
may...pause for a few months at the end of this month, June. Why?  
Well, due to new employment circumstances, I may be moving to Nevada/Arizona.  
Soon. As in perhaps a few weeks. The places I'm looking at right now  
are Boulder City and Henderson, and both are within the half an hour  
driving time outside of Las Vegas. Does anyone know anything about those  
places? Housing Developments? What the neighborhoods are like in those  
towns? Any tips/info will be greatly appreciated.  
  
Thanks again, and Ja ne!  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,  
Alexia Goddess  
  
  
*ALL STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY* 


	9. Chapter Eight -Finale

~ My ~ Fair ~ Princess ~  
  
  
  
By Alexia Goddess  
  
  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Rose Manor was lit like a giant ruby; red satin swags swooped in and  
out among the grand greek pillars. Those new fangled 'light cords'  
were weaved among the branches of the trees, the glass domes  
surrounding the little electrical wires that gave off the light were  
tinted red.  
  
Awaiting its turn to stop directly before the grand, wide steps that  
led up to the dais that was the 'front porch' of the manner was a   
grand carriage, the deepest, most highly polished of black, trimmed  
with dark silver. Inside, however, was an even grander sight of a  
young lady clad in the deepest royal blues and blacks.  
  
"Relax, my lord," Dorothy said in the soft, hinting-at-sultry-voice  
that had become her normal tone.  
  
Milliardo glanced at her, pulling his eyes momentarily away from their  
vigil of watching the steady tide of women and girls step out of the  
carriages. So far, there hadn't been a single one that rivaled Dorothy  
in beauty, grace, or presence, but there were at least five more  
carriages before them, and countless more behind...there was still a  
chance... And there was still that Relena girl to deal with...  
  
"I will win this," Dorothy told him. "Have faith. You are the one who  
trained me, who kept me up till midnight making me learn to dance in  
these awful shoes. You're the one who stood over me while I practiced  
by pronounciations, my verbs, my nouns, my vowls. Don't go chicken on  
me now, my lord."   
  
Milliardo smiled and reached over to pat Dorothy's black satin gloved  
hand affectionately. "I won't, my dear, I won't." He then withdrew  
his hand, as the carriage moved. It was their turn to enter the Rose  
Manor.  
  
  
  
  
  
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*  
  
  
  
  
  
"You're trembling." Heero stated his observation without any qualms.  
  
Relena looked at him, and swallowed. Colenol Quatre hadn't joined them,  
and she was desperately wishing he had...  
  
"I'm nervous, of course I'm trembling," Relena said, her voice somehow  
remaining calm and poised, though her hands, twisting themselves up in  
the pale white-gold, seamless skirt of her gown doubly betrayed her  
unstable confidence on top of her shaking fingers. Heero said nothing,  
until, out though a slit in the curtains covering the glass paned  
window of the white, gold trimmed carriage did he spot two familiar  
figures.  
  
"Look," Heero said, his voice indifferent. Relena looked out her own  
window and drew in a sharp breath.  
  
"She looks lovely..." Relena commented on the clinging gauzy black gown  
Dorothy wore. Part of her hair was pinned up with black opal studded  
pins, the rest of it tumbling down her back in a cascade of ice blonde  
curls. Her gown was strapless, daringly low, even more so than the  
one middle dip in Relena's gown. She had a train, which a manservant  
lifted to keep it clear of the dirt as she stepped out of the carriage,  
asissted by Milliardo...  
  
Relena furrowed her brow. This was only the second time she had seen  
Milliardo, but she had the strangest feeling she'd met him before...  
Before the horse races. She hadn't noticed it then because what  
attention she had shot his way had been directed more at Dorothy.  
  
But as she contemplated this, Dorothy and Milliardo disapperaed into  
the entrance hall of the Rose Manor, and it was hers and Professor  
Yuy's turn at the red carpet.  
  
Heero stepped out first, and Relena went to accept the hand that the  
footman held out, not giving a second thought to the notion that Heero  
would help her out, as every other outting they'd gone out on he'd  
never given the slightest indication he'd ever do such a thing for  
anyone.  
  
So imagine her slight, but pleased, surprise when the Professor glared  
at the footman and took Relena's hand himself. He then bent over and  
lifted the golden loop on the underside of the edge of Relena's train  
and handed it to her. She slipped the loop over her right index finger,  
and flared her pale gold fan trimmed with darker gold. Further was  
she surprised when Professor Yuy proceeded to hold out his arm to her.  
She took it, hiding her pleased grin behind her fan.  
  
"Stand up straighter," Heero murmured. Relena corrected her posture,  
embarrassed at having forgotten. She mentally double checked everything  
about herself and her appearence as the doors to the entry hall were  
opened for them. A footman took Relena's white fir wrap that buttoned  
in the front of her chest, as well as Heero's coat and tophat.  
  
Again, Relena slipped her arm through Heero's offered one, and he  
gave their names to the announcer as they stepped up to the open  
doors that lead into the ball room.  
  
"Announcing Lord Professor Heero Yuy and Miss Relena Dorlayn." The  
announcer declared. Only about half the room paused to glance at the  
newest arrivals, intending to simply glance away. The same thing went  
through many of those who found they didn't want to look away from  
the dazzling couple that stood at the top of the steps leading down  
onto the ballroom floor.  
  
"That girl in black on Milliardo's arm was a looker, all right, but  
she didn't have this one's...presence." One man commented to his wife.  
  
"Indeed," The wife replied, craning her neck discreetly to keep her  
eye on the girl as she, on the Professor's arm, descended the stairs  
like a glistening pale golden angel.  
  
"That other one that you were staring at bordered on the obscene," A  
sister jibbed at her brother. "This one would be much better for you to  
gawk at." The brother only gave his sister a withering glare, to which  
the sister only laughed.  
  
"How peculiar..." A duchess fluttered her fan, glancing at the girl.  
"She looks strikingly like another young noble woman I once knew..."  
She commented to herself.  
  
Relena was *very* aware of all the eyes on her. A second unknown lady  
at the same party? Quite peculiar, it was, and Relena knew it. Relena  
drew in a sharp breath as she felt a pair of piercing eyes on her, and  
she turned slightly to see a darkly clad Dorothy across the room, on  
Milliardo's arm, talking to a man whose handsome face made Relena's  
breath catch. But he, too, had a woman on her arm, a woman Relena  
recognized from the Professor's descriptions and sketches, provided by  
Trowa (how he got them, she didn't know), as Lady Une.  
  
So the man whose arm she was on, talking to Dorothy and Milliardo,  
could only be...  
  
"Professor," Relena said softly, so as not to attract attention.  
  
"Hm?" Was Heero's only acknowledgement that he heard her, as he  
continued scanning the ballroom.  
  
"Over to our right, Professor," Relena said, fluttering her fan  
lightly. "I believe you'll find a most peculiar sight to be of interst  
to you."  
  
Professor Yuy glanced discreetly over to where his competition had  
gotten a head start with Treize Kushreinada. Heero gave Relena look.  
Relena's chest tightened, and she swallowed, her palms sweaty with  
nervousness.  
  
"I can do it," She said. "Honestly, I can." She insisted. Heero's only  
reply was a 'hn' and a narrowing of his eyes. He nodded to the punch  
table, indicating where he would be when she finished her  
'performance.'  
  
Discreetly patting her hair and smoothing her skirt, Relena crossed the  
room, heading for Milliardo, Dorothy, and the man whom she had to  
impress more than Dorothy in order to 'win.' But luck was against her  
that night, or so it seemed, for a young, handsome, and obviously  
extremely wealthy, probably the son of a duke, intercepted her and  
bowed, asking her to dance. Just as he asked this, the song to which  
the dance went with was one of the ones Relena knew best.  
  
She glanced at Milliardo, eyes twinkling with a smug smirk. Dorothy  
also threw her a malicious look of truimph, and laughed at something  
Treize had said and touched his arm.  
  
"My lady?" The young duke inquired again. Relena snapped out of her  
staring at the foursome across the room, and realized she had no  
choice. Even to politely turn him down, him. being obviously so  
important, would decimate her chances at winning Heero's bet.  
  
Suppressing a slightly frustrated sigh and letting a gracious, serene,  
polite smile grace her face, she curtseyed, and laid her arm on his  
offered one.  
  
"Of course, my lord," She said sweetly. And so he swept her onto the  
dance floor. He was a very good dancer, but to Relena's surprise, she  
was better. Throughout the rest of the song, there were two dances  
going on; the dance that consisted of lifted skirts and fancy footwork,  
and the other went on between Relena and her partner, a dance that  
dealth with Relena keeping certain areas of her atonamy out of reach  
of his hands.  
  
"Would you...like to go visit...the gardens, my lady?" The duke's son  
inquired with a suggestive wink. Relena was tempted to slap him. But  
that would only solve to get hr kicked out of the 'game' (and most  
likely the party) before either had begun.  
  
Relena was saved the delimma of finding a way to 'politely' turn down  
the duke's 'offer' when a tremendous crash resounded throughout the  
entire ballroom. Even the music sputtered, as the musician's fingers  
slipped, then regained their rightful rhythm and the music flowed on.  
  
The soure of the commotion, however, was far from being able to  
recover so smoothly or quickly. A servant that had been carrying a tray  
of half filled champagne flut glasses had tripped on the corner of the  
tablecloth on one of the buffet tables. Result? Instant catastrophe.  
  
Relena glanced across the room. Treize seemed merely amused, though  
Lady Une was clearly outraged. Relena looked back at the servant, who  
now looked, upon a second inspection, to be quite young. He looked  
as though he wanted to die as he scrambled to put the trays of fruit  
back on the table, sweep the shattered remains of the flut glasses  
back onto his own tray, all the while not noticing that one of the  
buttons on his shoes was missing...  
  
Relena narrowed her eyes as she saw a lady nearby, smirking, her eyes  
dancing with smugness. Her skirt was made of lace... Relena's eyes  
hardened as she saw the shiny brass shoe button ensnared in the lacy  
hem of the lady's gown; she had tripped the boy deliberately.  
  
Relena excused herself from the duke's arms and made her way over, the  
only person in the entire ballroom that was moving, let alone moving  
straight for the poor serving boy. Relena grabbed a handful of napkins  
off the buffet table and got down on hands and knees with him, helping  
him clean up the destroyed champagne. When it was all mopped up, and  
the glass piled on the tray, Relena pulled him to his feet and took  
his hands, inspecting them. They were sliced and bloody from the  
glass shards. Relena took two cloth napkins off the table and wrapped  
them around his hands.  
  
"You'd better go get that taken care of," She told him kindly. She  
bent over and picked up the tray bearing the glass shards and handed  
it to another servant. The serving boy looked at her in awe, then  
turned. He nearly tripped again as he stepped on the loose flap of one  
of his shoes. Relena put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. She  
reached down and lifted his foot, inspecting the shoe in a manner that  
made it clear to everyone watching that there was a button missing.  
  
Knowing that she had forfeited the winning of this wager the moment  
she had gotten down on hands and knees with the boy, Relena say no  
reason to not do what she was about to do. She strode over to the  
lady in the lace, reached down and snatched the brass shoe button out  
of the lace, snagging and ripping the lace overskirt clear up to the  
waistline. The lady shrieked and stepped back, examining her skir then  
glaring at Relena. Relena held up the brass button for all to see, and  
a murmur went through the ballroom.  
  
Relena didn't know this, but the lady with the lace was a duchess who  
was notorious for 'secretly' seducing serving boys, and making their  
lives horrible if they refused her. The majority of those present  
realized that the serving boy had to have been her latest failure.  
  
Lady Une left Treize's side, and went to the musicians and gave an  
order that would hopefully salvage the rest of the ball. The musicians  
struck up a dance tune that everyone knew. A few woman laughed in  
delight; this was the dance that for men, meant it was time to choose  
the lady they wished to dance with the rest of the evening.  
  
Relena sighed and gave the boy back his shoe and button. He thanked  
her profously, and she hugged him on impluse, and another servant that  
looked to be the serving boy's elder brother came and guided him out of  
the ballroom.  
  
Relena stood, be the buffet table. The people around her were in  
conflict; shun her, or congradulate her on her detective work? Ladies  
weren't supposed to be so indipendant, but times were changing...  
  
Relena was oblivious to this. However, she was not oblivious to a  
particular set of footsteps coming up behind her.  
  
"I failed, I know," Relena's shoulders were slumped in defeat, her head  
hung in shame. "I'm sorry," Was all she was able to offer. "I just  
couldn't let that boy be made a mockery of. Do you know what happens  
to his kind when they're disgraced? They're thrown out, and most often  
they live the rest of their lives on the stree because no one else  
will hire them." Relena held back tears; that was what had happened  
to her own mother.  
  
Relena stiffened as she felt hands, familiar hands, take her by the  
shoulders from behind and straighten her posture. One of the hands  
reached around her and tipped her head up.  
  
"Don't slouch," Was all Professor Yuy said. Relena turned around,  
automatically keeping that proper posture. Though his mouth remained  
straight, his eyes smiled kindly down at her. Relena blinked in  
surprise.  
  
"B-but..." She stuttered. "I...I failed...we...you lost your wager,  
Professor!"  
  
"Perhaps," He said. "But you were in the right. That is what counts."  
  
Relena didn't disagree, but she thought he would have been furious  
with her for blowing her -*his* chance at winning...  
  
Heero started to hold out his arm, when a voice interrupted the   
action.  
  
"Brilliant performance, Miss Relena," Came a voice that was soft, yet  
had commanded armies. A voice that was chocolate and cream, yet at  
the same time steel and wild winds.  
  
Heero turned and Relena looked past him to see Treize Kushreinada  
nearing, Milliardo at his side and Dorothy still on his arm, though it  
was quite obvious both had expected her to be on Treize's arm by then.  
  
"M-my lord..." Relena swallowed. Was he mocking her?  
  
"Good to see you again, Professor," Treize greeted Heero. Heer only  
nodded in reply. Relena regarded the two. They had the attitude when  
dealing with each other that two old enemies would have, two old  
enemies that had been forced to work together once and had just never  
bothered to be enemies again.  
  
"Miss Dorothy informs me that you have already met," Treize once  
again addressed Relena. Relena forced a polite smile and nodded.  
  
"That we have, m'lord," She said. "At the horse races last week."  
  
"She also tells me you seem to have a dislike of the activity," He  
stated. Relena blushed.  
  
"I...Animals..." Relena had prepared her typical lie, but she sighed  
inwardly. Lies served no more purpose here. "I detest the activity,  
my lord." She said. Her tone was surprising; honest, yet somehow   
managing to keep from being offensive. Treize smiled.  
  
"As to I," He said. Dorothy blinked in visual surprise, and Millardo  
scowled momentarily before his expression cleared.  
  
"You know," Treize began. "Milliardo was also just telling me how you  
reminded him of his little sister, the Princess Regina." Treize sipped  
at a glass of wine he took from a passing servant.  
  
"Oh?" Relena raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yes," Milliardo picked up. "My half sister, actually. Part of London  
used to be the very small kingdom of the Sanq Kingdom. I believe you  
are staying at Sanq Palace?" Relena nodded.  
  
"Sanq Palace was the capital of the Sanq Kingdom, before the war,"  
Treize continued. "Half the palace burnt, taking the princess down  
with it. There have been rumors that perhaps the princess survived,  
rescued by one of the Sanq Queen's disgraced lady's in waiting, but  
it's all just speculation, of course."  
  
"Of course," Relena said, her tongue suddenly feeling thick and  
heavy as visions of flame flashed across her vision, the smell of smoke  
suddenly clogging her senses...  
  
Then it was gone. Relena forced her attention elsewhere as Treize  
exchanged pleasantries with a blank faced, still voiced Heero.  
  
The music, the song which the men asked their favorite lady of the  
evening to dance, picked up its pace. Only Heero noticed the way   
Treize's eyes flickered back and forth between Relena and Dorothy. Had  
Heero had the notion to let his face portray expressions, he would have  
smirked. So they were still in the game after all.  
  
Relena saw the twinkle in Professor Yuy's eyes, then looked at Treize  
to see him looking at her. He then glanced discreetly at Dorothy.  
Dorothy didn't notice, but she was clearly waiting for Treize to ask  
her to dance.  
  
"My lady," Treize asked. Who, it wasn't quite clear...  
  
Until he held out his arm to Relena.  
  
"May I have this dance?"  
  
Pleased- no, thrilled surprise donned Relena's face, and she smiled,  
not because she was now dancing with the wealthest, most legendary  
noble in London, not because she had won, not because she hadn't let  
Heero down after all, but because as everyone stared at her -*Her!-  
dancing with Treize Kushreinada, she knew she had *finally* proven  
that she was somebody worthwhile...  
  
Relena also knew that when this dance was over, Heero would have to  
beat off the boys and men with a stick. She had finally made a higher  
reputation for herself. She remembered the bank account she had in her  
name, she rememebered all her training, and tears came to Relena's  
eyes.  
  
She finally had the means to make her dream a reality...  
  
Relena made a mental note to ask Quatre and Heero to accompany her to  
the country the next day, to hopefully purchase a plot of land suitable  
for opening a ranch that would serve as a retirement home for abused  
race horses.  
  
A a summer finishing school. For the common folk. Relena wanted to  
provide an opportunity for others to reach their goal in higher places.  
  
Relena looked over Treize's shoulder and met Heero's eyes across the  
room, and he nodded to her. Relena's heart soared. The music ended,  
she curtseyed to Treize, he bowed, and she went to Heero. Heero smiled  
ever so slightly as another song began to be played. He set down his  
wine glass and held out his arm to her, which she accepted. Heero  
guided her to the dance floor, and took her in his arms.  
  
"Your shoulders are tense again, princess," He whispered in her ear,  
and Relena laughed as they began to dance.  
  
  
  
  
The End.  
  
  
  
WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! YEEEEEEEEES!!!!!!!!! FINALLY!!!!!!  
  
Phew! *wipes brow* It was an uphill struggle through throught this  
whole thing! Or at least this last chapter...  
  
In response to a view reviews I've gotten, as for this story being  
'uneventful,' if you mean that there were no chases, or fistfights,  
or espionage, that was my intent. This is my FIRST story every written  
(let alone completed!) with absolutely no violence. Don't worry;   
'Kitten's Sunrise' will MORE than make up for 'My Fair Princess's' lack  
of physical activity (YOU HENTAI'S GET YOUR MINDS OUT OF THE GUTTER!!!!!!!).  
  
Thank you all soooooo much for your faithfullness! This fic has more  
reviews than 'Kitten's Angel,' wow! Kitten's Angel was my pet fic  
(meaning it was the fic I was dedicating most of my effort to) while  
writting this one. I guess my 'not my best work' is better than I  
thought! *tears* I'm so flattered!  
  
Anyhoo, before I shut up and go start another fic, I want to thank;  
  
Raven: My beloved, my better half, who has, is, and always be there for me.  
  
Rose-chan: My BEST friend on the planet, my sister in christ, the one who makes me feel worth the air I breathe.  
  
Arion: Despite being a Relena-Hater, has always humored me and not flamed me when I wrote pro-Relena stuff. Thanks, girl! Now quit looking at the shirtless Heero pic and FINISHED PREDATOR!!!!!!  
  
Juno Trevan: My beta-reader-to be. Once again, your input was one of  
the highlights of writing this story. I soooooo appreciate your  
support!  
  
Ayanami-Chan: You are the QUEEN of all Heero/Relena fics, you're liking  
my humble work was a BIG boost to my low self esteem. *hugglez* THANK YOU!!!!!!!!  
  
MoonLight Storm: *hugglez* The sweetest reviewer ever; your support  
was so pure and enthusiastic. Thank you soooo much!  
  
Mouser: Aaaaaw...you think I'm talented? Look who's talking! I love  
your fics! I hope you continue to give your opinion on my work; I  
greatly value it!  
  
And last, but not least;  
  
Athena and Makura; my muses!!!! *hugglez fire-red Athena and shadowy  
Makura* Thanks, you two!!!  
  
Anyhoo, that's about it! *hugglez all* So until next time, Ja ne!  
  
  
  
Smile More, Dream Always,  
Alexia Goddess 


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